Texans QB C.J. Stroud’s Recent Play Has Two Rival Colts Players Absolutely Fanboying
For two straight weeks now, the biggest quarterbacking story in the NFL has been the play of Houston Texans rookie C.J. Stroud.
First, in a win-and-in game against the Indianapolis Colts on Jan. 6, Stroud completed a cool 20 of 26 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-19 win.
Then, in Saturday's AFC wild card game against the Cleveland Browns, Stroud exploded for 274 yards and three touchdowns against one of the league's top defenses. The result: a 45-14 win and a date in the divisional round against the Baltimore Ravens.
Stroud has been so proficient that even rivals on the Colts can't help but take notice.
"Ain't nothing worse as a defense than when you get them off schedule... and then they just get it," Indianapolis linebacker Zaire Franklin said on Friday's episode of The Trenches, his podcast. "You mad as s--t on that first down."
Colts LB Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed On playing CJ Stroud week 18 ????
— wydteezy (@MonkeyD_Gucci) January 16, 2024
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Franklin was referencing a throw Stroud made on second-and-14 against the Colts that picked up a first down in enemy territory with 9:43 to play.
"I see the ball go up, I think it's going out of bounds. I'm just watching that b---h. Then I see (wide receiver) Nico (Collins) just running for that b---h. I go, 'Nah, ain't no f---ing way.' He caught that b---h and (running back Devin) Singletary just looked at me like, 'That's C.J.,'" Franklin said.
Indianapolis linebacker E.J. Speed murmured agreement as the two heaped praise on the presumptive Offensive Rookie of the Year.
"(His skills are) some s--t you're not supposed to really have until year six, seven, buddy," Franklin said. "Whoever your trainer is, slow down, gang. You're doing too much."